My boat is a 1648 Lowe with a 20" transom and 60 horse tiller. There is a 1/4" plate welded on the transom of my boat for reinforcement. It follows the shape of the transom but stops 1.25" short of the bottom of the boat. I am building a pair of pods for it and have a question. It would be easiest to build the pods with the bottom surface parallel to the bottom of the boat and raised 1.25", right on the edge of the 1/4" plate. It's possible to build them with the bottom of the pod flush with the bottom of the boat and taper it up in the back, but it would be much more involved.

Is it necessary to have the bottom of the pod flush with the bottom of the boat and then taper up, or will a flat bottom raised from the bottom of the boat serve the same purpose? The only problem I see is that building the bottom of the pod flat and raised 1.25" from the bottom is that it might act like a trim tab forcing the nose down while trying to plane out. I don't see that as a bad thing because this motor will stand the boat up before it planes out. And there would be slighty smaller volume but that isn't a concern for me. What do you think?

I've never had much use for pods, but I think you need them flush with the bottom of the boat if you want them to help you draft less water. (isn't that the point of pods?) Raising them up 1.25" is defeating the purpose. What makes you think you need pods to begin with?

The water will cavitate if you leave a gap. They should be flush with the bottom of the boat where it meets the transom and then slightly taper up so they don't drag too much when you're on step.

BTW, pods are kinda like the band aid on a bullet wound. Your much better off saving the money, selling the boat, and purchasing a boat more suited for your motor. Trust me on this, we've been there and done that.

Pods may be a bandaid, but I believe they suit my situation because I have what I think is the perfect sized boat for what I do, and I like the 60 horse even if it is too much for this boat.





In the last picture it looks lopsided because the motor is offset to the right 2". We use this boat to get to some creeks to gig frogs. You can walk it across ankle deep water but the heavy motor makes the back end drag. I'm adding pods to help with that and to prevent water from coming over the back on some of the steep ramps we put in on. I'm building them almost as tall as the transom instead of half-height to add floatation. I plan on cutting the back bench seat into two pod seats and will loose some foam as a result.

I will build them flush with the bottom of the boat. How much would say the rise should be if they come back from the transom 18"? I was thinking 2", is that too much or not enough?

Just build them half as high as the transom. Its a waste to go any higher. Only the portion of the pod thats under water will help with the floatation. Everything above the waterline will be dead weight. Plus if they are half as high as the transom, they will work good as a step to get in the boat.

Sorry I didn't clarify. Floatation in case I swamp the boat; since I am taking some foam out of the rear bench seat.

Pods will make the boat handle differently on plane. They will make the boat run flatter and will keep the bow down.

What is everyone using for drains on these pods? I was hoping to find a brass pipe flange that a pipe plug would thread into, but no luck so far. And how about aluminum handles I can weld on the pods like what comes on the back of a jon boat from the factory?

Don't know about the drain plugs, but check out Hillside Castings for the handles. They just signed on as a sponsor to MMT. American owned, American made.

http://www.hillsidecastings.com